Bless the Broken Road
by Ad Astra Per Alia Porci
Summary: One-shot! The moment of truth... Zoe's about to walk down the aisle. A closer look at Zoe's Phony Matrimony. Spoilers... but they're fairly obvious anyway... R&R please.


A/N: First off, I just want to thank everyone for the reviews of my last story; you guys rock. I was going to continue it onto a first date... but then I decided I couldn't end it any better than what I had so, that's it. It's over.  
So on to this one: the song is called "BlessThe Broken Road" and is by Rascal Flatts. Get it, it's awesome. This is supposed to be set in the final episode of Zoe Busiek, during the wedding ceremony, starting when Zoe is about to start her walk down the aisle. Sorry to anyone that hasn't seen it… I just watched it on Monday and thought I'd add my own spin to it. **Don't read it if you don't want to know what happens**… but it doesn't spoil too much. Hope you like it.

**BlessThe Broken Road**

Off to the side, hidden from view, Zoe stood trying to calm her nerves. 'Why am I so nervous?' she eyed her shaking hands, 'It's not like this is a **real** wedding...' The last thought brought a slight frown to her face as she tried to banish the quivers from her hand by flailing them about for a minute. 'Do I want it to be real?' she held her hands out straight in front of her, pleased to see that the intensity of the tremors had decreased slightly. 'More importantly…does he?' Zoe's mind started to drift to her partner but she quickly shook her head with the same fervour she had used with her hands, trying to banish her Dan-thoughts. 'It doesn't matter; this is all pretend!' she reminded firmly.

_I set out on a narrow way, many years ago  
__Hoping I would find true love along the broken road  
__But I got lost a time or two  
__Wiped my brow and kept pushing through  
__I couldn't see how every sign pointed straight to you_

She looked down at her dress; it really was amazing. She absently smoothed out the front and brushed some non-existent dirt away. 'It kind of sucks that the only wedding I've ever had is going to be pretend…' she thought wryly and then concluded that that must be the root of her nervousness. This was her first wedding (not that she was planning on having many more…); real or not, this was the day she had dreamed of since boys had lost their cooties. 'It may be the only one I ever have,' she grimaced as she thought of her track record with guys. She had come close a few times, well at least she was asked a few times, but she never could find it within her to accept…

She heard soft music start to play and figured that was her cue. Zoe clenched and unclenched her fists at her side thrice and then stepped into view. She refused to look anywhere besides the floor in front her so she could avoid the scrutinizing gazes. The soft swish of the fabric and the wonderful billowing that accompanied each step was almost hypnotising. 'I'm a bride,' she thought with a soft smile despite the voice in the back of her mind that was trying to remind her that just part of her job. She stopped as she noticed her feet land on the white, lace material that made up the wedding aisle. Suddenly a bouquet of roses was shoved into her eyesight and she found her nephew's smiling face as she looked up. "What are you doing here?" she asked surprised as she glanced around and found her other two as dressed up and beaming as well. Cliff and Hannah explained that they had found the number for this place and wanted to be a part of it. Zoe smiled lovingly at them as the wedding march floated through the air towards them. Cliff extended an arm to allow Zoe to link through it and they followed Hannah down the aisle.

As Cliff guided her, Zoe took the time to scan the room and to take in the lovely decorations and all the people that had showed up to witness her wedding. Everything seemed to sew together perfectly: a free, fancy wedding, a wedding dress that seemed to be custom-made, her family finding out in time to be a part of it... and to top it off, she was getting paid to have her dream wedding since she and Dan were undercover. It was even better than all the weddings she had pictured throughout the years; everything was **perfect**. 'Ironic,' she thought amusedly, 'I went to Vegas to find the best, most exciting life out there… and I ended up finding it here, in Chicago, without realizing it. Funny, how everything works…'

_Every long lost dream, led me to where you are  
__Others who broke my heart, they were like northern stars  
__Pointing me on my way, into your loving arms  
__This much I know is true  
__That God blessed the broken road that led me straight to you_

She mentally went through all the old boyfriends she had once dreamed of being her groom: Marcos, Chris, Nick, and Miles. While both Chris and Nick had been serious relationships that had led to proposals, the only real contenders were Marcos and Miles.

Marcos had had some serious consideration, saying no to him was the hardest thing she had ever done. All the while they had been dating, Zoe thought that she was in love with him all over again but the truth was that it was nostalgia more than anything else. Both of them were guilty of that. He was her first love and she would always have a soft spot for him but they were too different now. She didn't love him and Dan's kiss in the elevator just before the proposal had made her realize it…

Miles she would have married, except he was the one who didn't ask; he was the one who broke her heart. When he suddenly showed up in Chicago earlier this year it had brought all the old feelings back and she thought that it was her second chance. She wouldn't really admit it to herself, once again fooled by and reminiscent of the past, but whatever had been between them all those years ago was gone now. Had she been alone with him for a longer period, she probably would have fallen into the trap again but luckily Dan was always there beside her, reminding her of the person she was now. Psychological disorders aside, Miles was the same person; it was Zoe that had changed. Her standards, her ideal guy, and her values had evolved and Miles didn't fit them anymore. So once again, it was with a heavy heart that she watched him leave but this time it was because she was watching her misguided image of her soul mate leave as well. Now she had to face the reason that her tastes had changed. She had to acknowledge why Dan's presence was able to overshadow Miles'. She had to recognize the man that was changing her…

So as the men flashed through her memory, she glanced up to the head of the aisle to view the one who had actually made it there. The same one who had knocked the only two real contender's out of the picture. Suddenly, as if he felt her eyes on him, Dan shot his head up and looked at Zoe again. As their eyes met Zoe suddenly realized that he completed the perfect picture; there was no one else she wanted to have standing there waiting for her. The swift epiphany, combined with the affectionate look in his eyes and wondrous expression that crossed his face as he looked at her, made Zoe's knee buckle for the second time that week. She struggled back to her feet feeling very embarrassed, however as she reached Dan's side, she forgot all about being self-conscious. She brushed it away along with the pedal that had stuck to her face. 'He's supposed to be the one that made it here,' she thought lovingly.

_I think about the years I've spent just passing through  
__I'd like to have the time I lost and give it back to you  
__But you just smile and take my hand  
__You've been there you understand:  
__It's all part of a grander plan that is coming true_

Every quality that she liked about her previous potential mates Dan had within him; however he also possessed what they all lacked. He fit the new image of her ideal man because she had based it on him. Right then, she was thankful for all the boyfriends that littered her past, even the scummy ones. Each one helped her realize what she was missing. Each one made her realize what she had now found. And as she stood next to him the only thing that Zoe regretted was that she hadn't realized it sooner. She wished she could go back to the day that they met and accept his offer for a drink so they could have actually reached this point by now; she wished it was real. Then, once more, fate surprised her by arranging everything.

As Stewart Dresden took his spot in front of them and informed the crowd that he would be doing the ceremony, which would "still" be legally binding, Zoe couldn't think anything but 'careful what you wish for.' Dresden turned to Dan and began the vows. Her mind began to race, especially when Dan spoke "I do." He had paused to consider his answer, which had filled her with some insecurity, but when he spoke the standard response all of it was washed away. His simple, two word response was filled with truth and emotion; he actually sounded surprised himself that he was happy it was going to be real. As the vows were repeated to Zoe she froze. It was such an overwhelming situation. She wanted it, more than anything, but it all happened so fast that she wasn't sure she could go through with it. She -- and by the sounds of it, Dan as well -- had only just come to terms with their true feelings… getting married was a little abrupt. She was beginning to panic. She didn't even hear Dan's little quip. Dresden repeated the vows and Zoe studied Dan out of the corner of her eye as he listed the promises that this commitment entailed. She could see herself keeping all of them, but she still couldn't get the words out of her mouth.

Dan, on the other hand, knew that he wanted this and was determined to win her over. He reached over with a soft smile, grabbed her hands, and started rambling. His actual speech wasn't very eloquent and wasn't quite up to par with his normal charm, but whatever creativity and personalized sentiment it missed was made up for in his delivery. His voice was soft and sincere and contained a pleading quality. His eyes filled with raw emotion, also begging her to take him seriously. The way he gripped her hands and smiled at her made a pleasant tingle spread through her body. As he slipped the ring on her finger all of her fears were pushed aside. It just felt so right. He concluded the speech emphasizing that he was in it "til death do us part."

It is rare to experience that one moment of clarity, when everything suddenly makes sense and it all falls into place, but as Zoe felt that ring take up residence on her finger she understood everything. The ceremony itself was never supposed to be real but neither participant had to act to fill the role of the loving fiancé or spouse. 'True love cannot be found where it does not truly exist, nor can it be hidden where it does,' Zoe repeated one of her favourite quotes to herself. If she hadn't been a believer in fate before, she would have been now.

_Every long lost dream, led me to where you are  
__Others who broke my heart, they were like northern stars  
__Pointing me on my way, into your loving arms  
__This much I know is true  
__That God blessed the broken road that led me straight to you_

Zoe decided that there was no point in waiting when she knew that he was the one for her and quickly announced that she was ready to be Mrs. Daniel Lennox, adding -- to Dan's amusement -- that she wasn't going to lose her own surname completely. Dan and Zoe wore matching goofy grins as Dresden announced that a kiss would seal the deal. "Make it a good one, everyone's watching…" Dan replied, his charm shining through.

"Me make it a good one?" Zoe replied quietly, "You'd better make it a good one." Dan didn't need anymore prompting; he dropped their joined hands to the side and pulled them behind him so that Zoe had to move closer and immediately crashed his lips to hers. She even allowed herself to clasp on to him and reach a stray had up to touch his face; it had taken all her restraint to prevent herself from engaging like this last time he had kissed her. Standing there in Dan's arms locked at the lips, surrounded by their cheering friends and family, instantly topped her list of life experiences. She wished they could stay there forever.

_Now I'm just rolling home, into my lover's arms  
__This much I know is true  
__That God blessed the broken road that led me straight to you  
__That God blessed the broken road that led me straight to you_

As they finally broke the kiss, Zoe's eyes opened, a smile gracing her face. She lingered near Dan as he took some time to store the memory in his mind. As his eyes fluttered open and met hers both smiled a little wider, wordlessly saying all that the other needed to hear. Regaining his senses, Dan became aware of the noisy crowd behind him. Regrettably, he took a step back, linked their arms and began to lead Zoe down the aisle. Neither could remember a time when they were happier. The only thoughts filtering through their minds as they strolled towards the exit was 'thank God,' while the rest of the crowd collectively thought 'it's about time!'

The End.


End file.
